With the first round of the latest Champions Cup wrapped up, we explore the major talking points emerging from the fixtures.
French dominance has defined the competition in recent seasons, with the last five champions all representing France's top flight. However, the first weekend included several impressive wins from potential contenders.
Bordeaux Look Set to Defend Their Title
Defending champions Bordeaux Begles were a class apart in Europe the previous campaign, dismantling Toulouse in the last four and then Northampton in the grand finale.
Lying sixth in the domestic standings, doubts have been raised about their ability to repeat the accomplishment this season. But, in round one, Bordeaux served notice that they are well-positioned of winning back-to-back titles with a free-flowing triumph on foreign soil in South Africa.
Handed a tough assignment at the Bulls' fortress against a powerful Bulls side featuring stars like Willie le Roux, Handre Pollard, and Canan Moodie, they were behind 33-22 at the interval.
However, true to their champion status, they unleashed their power in the second half, fighting back to seal a 46-33 victory – keeping the Bulls scoreless after the halftime.
French try-scoring aces Damian Penaud and star wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey each crossed the try-line. Any team with that pair on the edges stands a good chance against any competition.
Formidable Bath Look Capable of A Deep Run
Bath's lone victory in the Champions Cup was almost 30 years ago. Since that time, they have probably never been more strongly positioned to add a second star.
The defending English Premiership champions are setting the pace in the league after six games and will be hoping to translate that form into the Champions Cup – particularly following a shocking early departure in the last campaign.
Johann van Graan's team looked a highly composed and composed outfit in their 40-14 win over Munster, who are highly placed in the United Rugby Championship.
They marry attacking verve – securing the try-scoring point inside 20 minutes at the Rec – with defensive steel, holding their guests at a distance when they attempted a dramatic comeback.
With the likes of Finn Russell and Ben Spencer directing play and a deep squad all over the roster, they have to be considered serious contenders for a continental title since 1998.
Bath's key result in the group stage last season occurred in the next fixture, an narrow 22-21 defeat at Benetton with a squad players.
Now with a league trophy in their history and top in England once more, Van Graan might decide to place greater emphasis on the Champions Cup this season.
Glasgow Hand Sale a Tough Start
You will find powerful sides everywhere you look, but their section looks set to be one of the tightest.
In the competition's present structure, a lot is emphasized regarding victories on your own turf, which is why Glasgow's triumph at an opponent's ground at Sale on Friday evening might just turn out to be vital.
The Scottish side were two scores behind after 20 minutes but came back strongly, and two tries at the start of the second half gave them a valuable maximum haul.
By achieving this, they gave their prospects of qualification a major lift and, by contrast, dealt a hefty blow to Sale.
With Toulouse – commanding 56-19 victors over the Sharks – and Saracens, who easily overcame Clermont, in the same section, we are likely to see plenty of fireworks.
And regarding Glasgow's Scottish counterparts Edinburgh? They delivered one of their top continental showings in a long time to surprise three-time winners Toulon 33-20, on a fine weekend for Scottish rugby.
Is Ioane the Final Piece of the Leinster Puzzle?
If there's one team you would predict to be in the mix at the business end of the continental campaign, it would be four-time winners Leinster.
However in recent seasons it hasn't gone to plan, as they have been favourites but not won the trophy. Runners-up three years in a row between 2022-24, they looked overwhelming favourites a year ago after backing up a 62-0 mauling of Harlequins in the last 16 with a 52-0 win over Glasgow in the last eight.
It was thought that Kiwi international Jordie Barrett would be the missing ingredient to win the championship, but they were surprised and suffered a shock loss to Northampton Saints in the semi.
This season they are trying the All Black experiment again, this time with Rieko Ioane, who registered a scoring pass on his debut in Saturday's 45-28 victory against Harlequins.
Will Ioane prove to return the cup to Ireland for the first time since 2018?
Stormers Seem Ready to Step Up
Ever since the teams from South Africa entered the Champions Cup in 2022-23, the best performance by any of them is the last eight, and in the last campaign no South African side managed to make it out of the group stage, with plenty of squads not at full strength used.
Could this be the season that turns around? The Stormers are first in the URC and began their European campaign with a 26-17 triumph in France at Bayonne on Friday.
The words from players and coaches were positive too, with individuals involved speaking of their ambition, and the caliber of South African internationals Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Damian Willemse unavailable for the opening victory.
The Stormers seem the most likely contender for a SA franchise to go deep into the event, but don't count out the Sharks and Bulls, who were defeated in their first games but did play the French powerhouses respectively.
Northampton and Pau Serve Up a Memorable Match
There were several candidates for game of the weekend, and this one was among the best.
Pau have been enjoying a superb campaign, led by Argentine internationals Julian Montoya and Facundo Isa and former Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson.
They are presently in second place in the Top 14 and the crowd was raucous at the Stade du Hameau|their home ground|Pau's
